1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photographic film developing processes and processors and in particular, to such a process and apparatus incorporating a resilient membrane in close proximity to a photographically sensitized material for effecting uniform application and agitation of a minimum amount of developing chemistry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Film processing or developing is typically performed by batch processing. In the simplest form, batch processing is performed utilizing a plurality of tanks containing the individual components of chemistry for processing or developing a particular film or photographic emulsion or simply, photographs, and the photographic exposures are passed in succession through the various components.
In commercial applications, such processing is typically performed in large batch processing machines containing a large quantity of the processing chemistry, an elaborate film transport mechanism, and associated control equipment for maintaining concentration, temperature, speed and the like.
These processes and processors are inherently sensitive, and substantial variations in the final product can be caused by changes such as temperature, aging, and normal degeneration of the chemicals as they are used and reused to develop quantities of photographs.
In large commercial applications, the cost of such processing equipment and the required manpower for operating and maintaining the equipment in proper working condition can be justified.
However, there are many situations in which it is desirable to process or develop photographs in quantities of one or a few exposures at a time. Such applications include installations for producing photographic identification cards and drivers licenses, processing of x-rays, and production of photographic "reprints". Inherent in such applications is the desire, and often the need, to process the film in a relatively short period of time. In some applications, the self developing or "instant print" such as manufactured by the Poloroid Corporation and Eastman Kodak have been used. Nonetheless, in view of the diverse applications, expense, and inherent limitations of such instant print films, there still exists a need for a wet process processor and method adaptable for use with a wide variety of photographic emulsions which is capable of processing one or a few exposures at a time.
The success of prior art processors for satisfying this need has been limited for a number of reasons. For example, such processors have incorporated processing tanks containing a sufficient amount of chemistry to process a considerable number of photographic exposures. The chemistry in turn ages, and degenerates as it is used and reused to process the exposures. The need to accellerate the developing process by means such as heating further hastens degeneration of the processing chemistry. The processors are relatively large and bulky, and the use of multiple tanks limits adaptability to process different types of photographic emulsions utilizing diffrent processing chemistry due to the need to alter the developing time, the number of tanks, and the like.
To obviate such problems, it has been considered desirable to provide a film process and processor that utilizes a quantity of developing chemistry sufficient to process only the number of photographic exposures to be processed, typically but not necessarily one, and then simply discard the used chemistry. It is further desirable to have such a process and processor in which the quantity of developing chemistry required is relatively small such that it can be heated quickly at the time it is to be used thereby permitting bulk storage chemistry for the system to be maintained at reduced temperatures. It is further desirable to have such a process and processor which effects uniform and complete agitation of the chemistry without mechanical contact and therefore damage to the photographic emulsion and to provide a method and means for agitation of the processing chemistry which is effective on very small quantities thereof. It is further desirable to have such a process and processor which can be adapted for use with different photographic emulsions and developing chemistry.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved film process and processor.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a process and processor which effects single usage of the developing chemistry.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor in which development can be accurately controlled.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor which facilitates accellerated processing without detremental effects to the photo sensitive material.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor which effects uniform and complete application of the developing chemistry to the photographic exposures therein without damage to the photographic emulsion.
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor which incorporates a single processing chamber for application of all the components of the developing chemistry to the sensitized emulsion.
Another object of the invention is to provide a processor having such a processing chamber of minimal volume.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor which can be easily adapted for processing different types of photographic emulsions utilizing different processing chemistry.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a processor which effects uniform and complete application of small quantities of processing chemistry to a photographic emulsion without damage thereto.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a process and processor in which the developing chemistry is agitated through the medium of a flexible membrane interposed between the sensitized emulsion and the agitating mechanism.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a process and processor wherein agitation of the chemistry is performed without contact of the agitating mmechanism with the sensitized emulsion.